On a cold Thursday afternoon, January 10, 2019, the life of 19-year-old Hanna Rose Barron was tragically cut short in a burst of violence outside the Woodside Meadows housing complex in Lansing, Michigan. A young mother of two, she was fatally shot during what police later described as a drug deal that escalated into a robbery. Another woman with her was also wounded in the attack.
The incident unfolded when Hanna and two friends went to the complex to sell marijuana 'wax'.
They were met by Aaron Ross, who, instead of completing the transaction, pulled out a handgun and demanded their belongings, including purses, cash, and phones. When Hanna resisted, Ross opened fire, killing her and injuring her companion before fleeing into a nearby wooded area.
An investigation by the Lansing Police Department, with assistance from Michigan State Police, quickly identified a suspect. Soon after, two individuals were arrested in connection with the crime. Aaron Ross, then 21, was charged as the shooter. Also arrested was 22-year-old Lashay Hursey, who had been with Hanna and the other woman during the arranged meeting.
In November 2019, both Ross and Hursey faced justice for their roles in Hanna Barron's death. Aaron Ross pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, assault with intent to murder, and felony firearm possession. He was sentenced to a prison term of 42 to 62 years. Lashay Hursey pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and a felony firearm charge, receiving a sentence of 20 to 32 years in prison. The Eaton County Prosecuting Attorney stated that Hanna Barron was murdered because of the 'greed of these two defendants' and that the sentences should send a message that 'Hanna's life mattered.' Hanna was remembered as a loving mother, daughter, and a cherished member of her community.
